Courtroom Personnel
This person is the boss of the courtroom. They are neutral and make sure all sides are following the law. They can also sentence you.
Judge
A deal given to the defendant for a lesser sentence in exchange for pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
Plea Bargain
This is an answer to your charges
Plea
Any abnormal courtroom behavior such as crying, yelling, talking out of turn, or cursing. Penalty can be extra time in jail.
Contempt of Court
This means that because of mental or emotional problems, you could not understand the nature of the court proceedings against you and/or you could not cooperate with your lawyer in a rational manner.
Incompetent to stand trial
This person's job is to prove to the judge or to the jury that you are guilty. This person is against you and is not on your side.
District Attorney
This is the person who offers the defendant a plea bargain.
District Attorney/ Prosecutor
An option to plead that means you did do the crime.
Guilty
A person must make this promise before testifying, stating that they will only tell the truth.
Oath
This is anything that can be used in court to prove that a person is guilty or innocent, such as DNA, witness, statements, or video footage.
Evidence
This is the person who is on your side. This person is trying to protect you and their goal is to get you free, or if you are found guilty, to get a reduced charges/ sentence for you.
Defense Attorney
These 4 people must work together and/or agree to complete a plea bargain
D.A./Prosecutor, Defense Attorney the Judge, and the defendant
An option to plead that means you did not do the crime.
Not Guilty
If you decide not to have a jury trial, you can have this type of trial where the judge hears your case and will decide whether you are guilty or not guilty.
Bench Trial
This is a less serious charge that can get you a sentence of 1 year or less, served in the county jail.
Misdemeanor
This is made up of 12 citizens that are selected from the county where the crime was committed. They decide the verdict after listening to all of the evidence presented by the district attorney and the defense attorney.
Jury
What two plea options can get you the plea bargain?
Guilty or No Contest
An option to plead that means you will not say if you did it or not, and that you are not going to fight the charges. You are leaving it for the court to decide.
No Contest
Telling a lie after swearing an Oath to tell the truth. This can get you a felony charge.
Perjury
This is a more serious charge that can get you a sentence of 1 year to life, served in prison.
Felony
This person comes to court to tell what they know about the case or what they saw. They can help your case or hurt your case.
Witness
These are the rights you are giving up when entering a plea bargain.
a Jury trial; Appeal your case; Right to testify; Right to face your accuser
An option to plead that means you did do the crime, but you were not in your right mind at the time of the crime due to a severe mental illness.
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI)
This is the final decision found by a jury or by a judge. This is the decision at the end of a trial which states whether they judge a person guilty, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of insanity.
Verdict
In a trial by jury, ___ out of the 12 juries must agree to deem a defendant guilty.
12 (unanimous)